UTSA women in fourth place at Western Athletic Conference Championships

ARLINGTON — The UTSA women's track & field team opened competition on Friday at the Western Athletic Conference Championships and the Roadrunners accumulated 38 points through the first seven scored events, which has them in fourth place in the team standings.

Alyssa Diaz led the way with a third-place performance in the 10,000 meters and she led a combined 13-point effort in the final event of the night. Diaz circled the Mavericks Stadium oval 25 times in 36:00.82, while Isabel Balbontin clocked a 37:00.74 and was one spot behind her teammate in what was the first 10k of her three-year career. Samantha Fish also secured a pair of points with her seventh-place showing and her time of 38:11.32 also came in the first long-distance race of her career.

Whitney Flannel added a bronze medal in the high jump. The junior, who entered the meet with the league's top leap of the spring, cleared 5-7 (1.70m), which was good for six points, and that helped the Roadrunners secure a combined eight in the event. Chenale Smith finished in a three-way tie for sixth place with her jump of 5-5 ¾ (1.67m).

Katie Bragg added another five marks to the team total following her fourth-place showing in the hammer. The school record-holder tossed the implement 183-9 (56.01m) on her fourth attempt of the afternoon.

Other scorers for the Roadrunners included Greneshia Wright, who was sixth in the long jump (19-0 ½/5.80m), and Gabby Galvan, who placed eighth in the discus (141-11/43.26m).

UTSA also advanced six of its entries into Saturday's running finals.

Texas State has a commanding lead over the field with 74 points, while Idaho (48) and meet host UT Arlington (39) round out the top three team scores.

The four-day meet concludes on Saturday. Field competition is slated to begin at 2 p.m. and the running event finals will start three hours later.